Numerals in English Translation of Chinese Poems—Taking Zezi for Example

Numerals in English translation of Chinese poems differ from those in natural science and social science sectors, the translation of which calls for translators' more linguistic and cultural qualifications, as well as broader theoretical horizon. In the process of numeral translation, translators are required decide on the potential keys, make comprehensive investigation and hand out reasonable, justifiable, and grammatical versions according to the specific use of numerals in different context. Taking Tao Yuanming's Zezi for example, this article provides a detailed analysis of how to deal with numerals in English translation of Chinese pomes from five dimensions——functional, rhetorical, cultural, textual and creational, in the hope that the concerned aspects of numeral translation will arouse the attention of both translation theorists and practitioners as well.